


Scenes from a Courtship

by SummerRed



Category: Cordelia (Movie Poster 2020)
Genre: F/M, Femdom, Historical, Pegging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:34:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27728162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerRed/pseuds/SummerRed
Summary: Considering the size and condition of Frederick's estate, he was lucky to be able to afford a governess at all.
Relationships: Cordelia/Frederick
Comments: 8
Kudos: 32
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	Scenes from a Courtship

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Carmilla](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Carmilla/gifts).



It was just after midday when the new governess arrived. She was a small woman, Frederick noted as he pushed aside his accounts – still not coming out correctly after hours of work, which meant another long night – and inspected the new arrival. 

Her dress was neat and clean, but the style had never been fashionable, and her hair was pulled back into a bun, without any of the fancy curls and flourishes that he would have expected of a gentlewoman, even a gentlewoman sunk to the level of governess. Of course, considering the size and condition of Frederick's estate, he was lucky to be able to afford a governess at all. The death of his wife five years ago had been a devastating blow to himself, his daughters, and his property. Without Mary's strength and guidance and indomitable spirit, the estate had begun a long, slow decline.

Frederick's dreams of grandeur had died with his wife. Now his hope was merely to keep his affairs together long enough to see his daughters safely married. As the eldest was not yet nine, there were days that Frederick despaired of his modest goal. 

Hopefully the new governess would help. Miss Cordelia Halloway clearly did not have the fashionable airs of Miss Gault, but that might be for the best. Miss Gault's fashionable airs had never transferred to the girls. Neither had any affection for Miss Gault. Emma and Lizzie had held a celebratory tea party when Miss Gault had run away with a groom from the Squire’s estate.

Miss Halloway certainly seemed more self-composed than Miss Gault. Despite Frederick's long silence as his thoughts wandered, she did not fidget or look nervous. On the contrary, she appeared as unreadable and calm as when she had first entered the room. 

Not a woman likely to succumb to hysterics over active children, Frederick thought approvingly. "Welcome, Miss Halloway," he finally said, offering a tired smile.

She smiled back slightly. "Thank you, Mr. Corbyn. I'm pleased to be here."

~~~

"Girls," Frederick said wearily as Emma and Lizzie tried to force each other to eat a brussels sprout. The tiny cabbages had been a gift from the Squire, who was fascinated with new foods and who frequently made a gift of them to his neighbors. Frederick hoped that this would be the last of the sprouts. They were not popular in the household.

Miss Halloway, who had proven remarkably resilient to youthful antics over the first month of her employment, put down her knife and fork. "Girls."

Emma and Lizzie, who had ignored their father, both turned to look at her.

"If you both eat your dinner without further fuss, we can have an entomology lesson at the pond."

The girls immediately turned their attention to their plates and set to their dinner with a will. Frederick sent Miss Halloway a bemused, but grateful, smile. "Entomology lesson?"

"Hunting for dragonflies," Miss Halloway said calmly, picking up her fork. "Maybe some butterflies."

"That does sound like fun," Frederick said, thinking of the bills piled up on his desk.

"Can Papa come?" Lizzie asked around a mouthful of sprouts.

Miss Halloway gave her a stern look. Lizzie swallowed and repeated, "Can Papa come?"

Miss Halloway lifted an eyebrow at Frederick, who tried not to look too hopeful. "If he is good," she said after a moment.

He managed a small smile in reply, feeling unaccountably shy.

~~~

"Let me help."

Frederick looked up from his books. He never had been gifted with numbers, and he always had to tally the figures several times until he got the same answer often enough that he could be sure it was correct. "Miss Halloway..."

"Let me help," she said again, firmly. "I am excellent at calculation."

He looked down at the balance sheet, which represented at least a day, if not more, of tedium. "This is not your job."

"I do what needs to be done," she said. "Let me help."

After a moment, he stood up and moved aside so she could take his place at the desk. As she passed him, he realized with a start that she was several inches shorter than he was.

He settled into the chair opposite the desk and watched as Miss Halloway lifted the pen. Her fingers were thin, her shoulders narrow. He had thought her small when he had first met her. 

Strange then, that in his thoughts she always loomed so large.

~~~

The girls were in bed and Frederick and Miss Halloway were in the library. Frederick was attempting to read about the latest farming techniques, but his eyes kept wandering over to Miss Halloway, who was engrossed in a novel.

"We can switch," Miss Halloway suddenly said, her eyes not moving from her book.

Frederick started and turned his attention back to his pamphlet.

"Mr. Corbyn," she said firmly, and he looked up to see her holding out the novel.

"I fear you would find this very tedious," Frederick said. "It is a pamphlet on farming techniques."

"I am interested in many topics," Miss Halloway said. "Including farming."

He hesitated, then handed over the pamphlet, taking the book in return. "Thank you, Miss Halloway."

"You may call me Cordelia," she said in return, and opened the pamphlet with apparent interest.

Frederick tried to turn his attention to the novel, but he found himself unable to absorb a single word.

~~~

Frederick felt the pattern of the wallpaper imprinting on his cheek as Cordelia's slender body pressed against his back. He put his hand up against the wall to hold himself steady and Cordelia took hold of his wrist. A rush of warmth settled in his lower belly and he felt his mouth go dry.

He felt her lift up onto her toes so she could whisper in his ear. "We're alone in the house."

Frederick was very aware of their solitude. The staff had been confused, but not ungrateful, when he had announced that, in addition to Sunday mornings, which had always been free for church, they would now get Sunday afternoons free as well. Frederick had claimed religion as motivation for the change, which felt more than a little blasphemous considering the real reason.

"The girls?" he asked, short of breath and struggling to remember his responsibilities.

"Playing outside, with a picnic." She bit his ear, and he moaned. "We have an hour, at least."

"My bedroom?" he asked hopefully. It had been a week since their last tryst and he was quite ready to begin.

"Yes," she said. "But I need you to get something from the kitchen, first."

~~~

Later, lying in bed with the remnants of a well-used wooden spoon on the side table, Frederick wrapped an arm around Cordelia's waist and settled his head on her shoulder, enjoying her fingers running through his hair. He felt sore inside and out, and sitting down to dinner would be a challenge. "How did you learn to do that?"

The fingers in his hair paused for a moment, then resumed stroking. "When in a position like mine, sometimes you have no control over _if_ or _when_. But sometimes, if you are fast enough and clever enough, you can control _how_."

The words hit Frederick like a blow. He lifted himself on one arm to give her a stricken look. "Have I ever--"

She cut him off with a wry laugh. "Oh, Frederick. With you I always control the if and the when."

He blushed and settled his head back down on her shoulder. "And the how."

"And the how," she repeated softly, and he shivered under the gentle glide of her fingernails over his scalp.

~~~

She entered the bedroom first, as she usually did, and Frederick held his breath as he followed.

Abruptly she froze in place. "Frederick."

He let out his breath. His chest felt tight and he struggled to sound normal as he answered, "Yes, love?"

She stepped forward, until she was standing next to the bed. The ring was very visible against the cream-colored blanket and the deep blue sapphire gleamed in its silver setting. It was a purchase only made possible by the farming improvements that Cordelia had suggested and Frederick felt a flush of hope infused with anxiety as she picked up the ring and stroked her finger over the stone.

Cordelia carefully put the ring back on the bed and turned to face him. Despite the dampness in her eyes, her tone was sardonic as she asked, "Is this how a man is meant to propose?"

"No," Frederick said, dropping to his knees.

Cordelia smiled with humor and affection. "That's better," she said as she lifted her skirts.

Frederick crawled forward and proceeded to show her exactly how much he wanted to be her husband.

~~~

"Look in the mirror, darling," Cordelia commanded, slightly out of breath.

Frederick groaned and forced himself to lift his head from where he had let it hang between his arms, his forehead brushing back and forth against the thick wool of the blanket.

The mirror was the one from his dressing room, full length and heavy. Cordelia had insisted that they move it next to the bed for their wedding night. At the time, Frederick had protested.

Now he looked into the silver surface and was captivated.

Never had he imagined such an erotic tableau. His eyes caught on himself first, balanced on his knees and his elbows, with his hands gripping the blanket to keep himself upright. His hair was damp with sweat and his buttocks shone a rosy red from Cordelia's initial exertions.

And Cordelia... oh, Cordelia. She was pressed up close behind him, wearing a harness that she had cleverly crafted from the scraps of cloth left over from her wedding clothes. Jutting out from the harness was a phallus that Frederick himself had carved in the evenings, long after the servants had gone to bed. The wood he had selected was dark and saturated with the oil Cordelia used to ease the way into Frederick's body and, as he watched, the dark wood sank between his legs, just as he felt an intense sliding pressure spread through his body in waves, receding as she pulled back and increasing as she thrust forward again.

With each thrust the pressure built higher and higher and Cordelia began to move faster and faster. Frederick tried to reach back between his legs, but Cordelia slapped his hand away and leaned forward to take him in hand. The sight of her body, curled over his and thrusting with abandon, carried him over the edge.

~~~

Frederick opened his eyes to find himself on his side, Cordelia's arm around his waist and her small, perfect breasts pressed against his shoulder blades. "Did I fall asleep?"

"Unfortunately so," Cordelia said, sounding amused. Her hand started rubbing circles over Frederick's stomach and he let out a low rumble of contentment.

Then realization struck. "What about you?"

"I am wonderful," Cordelia said and he could hear the smile in her voice.

"But..."

"And you are exhausted," she added.

This was true.

"And we have the rest of our lives for you to make up for falling asleep before we could complete the consummation of our marriage."

Frederick could not help but smile, affection filling his body with warmth. "Of course, love. For you, anything."


End file.
